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There are quite a few reasons why one would need to hire someone who understands the legal system to help with certain situations. A Washington DC personal injury attorney would come in very handy if one were injured by the fault of another. Some other fields of this type include tax, immigration, corporate and criminal law.

Under the law, every defendant is entitled to a proper defense. They must also be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before they can be convicted. It is the job of their lawyer to ensure both fair representation and that the accused does not get buried beneath a lot of legal speak and technicalities.

Everyone is presumed to be innocent until their guilt is proven by either trial or plea. It is the prosecution’s job to prove to the judge or jury, beyond reasonable doubt, that the defendant committed the crime. While the majority of lawyer will pose a defense, they are allowed to remain silent and force the government to take the burden of proof.

When one is accused of a crime, there are several standard defenses that may be used. In many cases, the plea the defendant enters is that of not guilty. This usually means they are saying they did not commit the action and is typically proven by providing a solid alibi that shows they were nowhere near the scene at the time of the offense.

When the individual admits to the crime but claims they had a valid reason, there are certain pleas they can enter. They include self defense, meaning they did it to protect themselves, diminished mental capacity due to insanity, and claiming they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the act was committed. These are some of the more commonly used.

Some may claim entrapment, meaning they believe they were deceived into doing the crime by the government. In the majority of cases this is quite complicated and hard to prove. A lawyer can advise the defendant which plea is likely to provide the most beneficial results for their particular situation.